Life Threads - TBI

"We've been through all of this trauma, and you're giving me some string"

Families of individuals who survive traumatic brain injuries play a pivotal role in their recovery and rehabilitation. This journey, though grounded in love and commitment, often comes at a significant personal cost. Despite this, family members rarely have the opportunity to reflect on how this experience shapes their own lives. More often, families are ignored, shut out or interact with people who misunderstand their needs.

Researchers at the Universities of Derby, East Anglia, Bournemouth and Plymouth have been exploring the potential for a narrative, creative approach, the ‘Life Threads’ approach, as a low-intensity, accessible means of support that can be applied across service contexts.

In this exploratory study, 20 family members were recruited to take part. Family members were invited to two focus groups and one individual interview. During this time family members were given the ‘Life Threads’ approach materials and invited to work with these for approximately four weeks.

Please join us as we share the findings of this research and what this tells us about supported approaches to storytelling and the unique needs of family members following traumatic brain injury. 

This project is funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) under its Research for Patient Benefit (RfPB) Programme (grant reference number: NIHR204092). The views expressed are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the NIHR or the Department of Health and Social Care.

Location

OL2 Lecture Theatre,
University of Derby,
Kedleston Road,
Derby,
Derbyshire,
DE22 1GB